The present disclosure generally relates to a vehicle fuel system for an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to an evaporative emission control system and method for an internal combustion engine having a microcondenser device.
Conventional vehicle fuel systems associated with internal combustion engines typically employ a fuel canister for receiving fuel vapor from a vehicle's gas tank. The fuel canister is adapted to temporarily retain the received vapor therein to prevent it from being released to the atmosphere. More particularly, fuel vapor enters the fuel canister from the fuel tank wherein the fuel vapor is absorbed and retained in a carbon bed of the fuel canister. Typically the retention of the displaced fuel vapor within the canister is only temporary. More particularly, the fuel vapor retained in the fuel canister is periodically purged to allow the canister to accommodate and absorb additional fuel vapor from fuel tank. During such purging, the fuel vapor captured by the canister can be sent to the vehicle's engine, and particularly to an induction system of the engine.
Various other systems have also been proposed to more strictly control containment of fuel vapors and/or improve vehicle efficiently by controlling fuel vapor processing. For example, some systems include a bladder disposed in a vehicle's fuel tank that expands and contracts to control fuel vapor. A pump can be used in association with the bladder for applying pressure to walls of the bladder. The pressure is applied for purposes of forcing the bladder walls against the fuel contained therein to prevent or limit vapor formation. A fuel canister, as described in the preceding paragraph, can optionally be used in the bladder fuel system for capturing fuel vapor that forms despite the use of the bladder.